A memorable event experience is what clients crave. If you are looking for ideas that tickle the taste buds and leave a lasting impression on your guests check out the best catering menu ideas that clients love.
Best Catering Menu ideas That Clients Love
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Mini Pot Pies
If you are looking for a perfect food that could serve as a light lunch option, mini pot pies will serve well. Give your guests a wonderful treat by serving them various mouth-watering and finger-licking foods like chicken pot pie, beef pot pie, or vegetarian pot pie.
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Sliders and Fries
If giving your guests a good treat is at the front burner of your heart, then choose this classic combination. You may consider offering a variety of options, such as mini cheeseburgers, pulled pork sliders, and veggie burgers. What is more, you can serve them with a selection of dipping sauces.
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Crudite Platter with Hummus and Spreads
A nice and healthy appetizer option perfect for any occasion would be the crudite platter with hummus spreads. You can consider making this with a variety of fresh vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, and broccoli. You could also consider finishing things up by serving them with some baba ghanoush, and other dips.
4. Mac and Cheese Bar
The mac and cheese bar is a food that is loved by lots of people. You can’t go wrong by adding it to your menu list. You could achieve this by setting up a station with different variations of this classic dish, such as truffle mac and cheese, lobster mac and cheese, and BBQ pulled pork mac and cheese.
5. Tuscan Feast
Give your guests an Italian treat with a menu of antipasti, kinds of pasta, and grilled meats. Begin with a selection of cured meats, cheeses, olives, and marinated vegetables. Follow with pappardelle with sausage and rapini, and grilled chicken with rosemary and lemon.
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Around the World Treat
To create a fun and interactive experience with your guests, you might want to consider featuring foods from different regions of the world. Offer tacos from Mexico, sliders from the US, spring rolls from Vietnam, and samosas from India.
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Salmon with Quinoa and Roasted Vegetables
You may want to spice up the nutrient level of the meals you serve your guests with a light and flavorful main course packed with nutrients like baked, grilled, or pan-seared Salmon.
Switch things up with some healthy quinoa which is rich in protein-rich. You may also consider roasting different vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, and onions, to complete the dish.
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Chopped Salad Bar
You can never go wrong with Salads. Prepare a delicious salad bar with a variety of chopped vegetables, fruits, proteins, and cheeses.
On the other hand, you may consider allowing your guests to create their custom salad by making a variety of vegetables available to them.
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Sushi Bar
Give your guests a treat by going the Sushi way. Create the luxury of offering them a variety of sushi and sashimi. You could also include a selection of maki rolls and nigiri to garnish the treat and give them a wonderful experience.
10. Passed Hors d’Oeuvre
Commence your event with one of the best meals- Passed hors d’oeuvres. These are small, bite-sized appetizers that get passed around to guests by servers.
It is worth noting that this is a highly nutritious meal. Offer a variety of hors d’oeuvres, such as shrimp cocktails, mini quiches, and bruschetta.
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Vegan Menu
One way to carry your vegan guests along and leave them with the right impression about your event is by offering delicious vegan options that can be included on a catering menu. Consider some vegan foods like lentil soup, and black bean burgers.
12. Nacho Bar
Get the attention of your guests with Nachos. Create an interesting opportunity for your guests to create their gourmet nachos with a selection of chips, shredded cheese, beans, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and other toppings.
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Pancake Bar
If you want a fun and interactive breakfast or brunch option, then you would not go wrong with the pancake batter flavors. Consider using toppings like fresh fruit, chocolate chips, whipped cream, and fun syrups for a wonderful experience.
14. Burger Bar
Your guests would love the idea of building their food. You can achieve this by creating the option of building their burgers. Let them choose from which selection of party options (beef, turkey, veggie), buns, cheeses, toppings, and sauces.
15. Stir-Fry Station
Give your guests the treat of their lives by creating a stir-fry station at your event. Let them choose from a selection of vegetables, proteins (chicken, tofu, shrimp), and sauces. Furthermore, allow your guests to choose their ingredients and have them cooked fresh in front of them.
16. Pasta Primavera Station
Make your guests crave more by setting up a vegetarian station. Make it a type that features a variety of seasonal vegetables tossed in a light cream sauce and served over pasta. Also, you can allow guests to add protein like grilled chicken or shrimp if desired.
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Dessert Bar
We all love desserts. Raise the dessert bar by ending your event on a high note. It is usually a great way to serve your guests a variety of miniature desserts, such as cupcakes, cookies, brownies, and pies.
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Offer Chocolate Fountain
Take the chocolate recipe to another level by making a chocolate fountain available to your guests. It is a fun and visually appealing way to serve dessert. You may consider making it possible for guests to dip fruits, pretzels, or marshmallows into the flowing chocolate.
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Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream
Your event would not be complete without ice cream. Take your dessert game to the next level with liquid nitrogen ice cream. Create a smooth and creamy ice cream made-to-order.
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Cheese Board with Charcuterie
Offer your guests a wonderful appetizer experience at your event by offering a variety of cheeses, meats, fruits, nuts, and crackers.
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Food Truck Fare
Add a twist by bringing the taste of a food truck to your event. You may consider hiring a food truck to serve foods like tacos, sliders, gourmet grilled cheese, or other popular food truck options.
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Cajun Cuisine
Spice up your event with this Louisiana favorite -Cajun. You may consider making it a Cajun-themed one and serving items like jambalaya, gumbo, and po’boys. This is something you should try and see.
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Spanish Tapas
Offer the best of treats by offering a variety of small plates showcasing the best of Spanish cuisine. Include things like patatas bravas (spicy potatoes), gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp), and tortilla Española.
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English Afternoon Tea
Whether you are catering for a baby shower, bridal shower, or other special occasion, serving finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, and a selection of teas are always a good way to entertain your guests.
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German Beer Garden
If you want to create a festive atmosphere with a German theme, then the German beer garden menu option would be your best bet. You may consider serving sausages, pretzels, sauerkraut, and potato salad, not forgetting to add the beer.
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Middle Eastern Mezze Option Foods
Let your guests get entertained by Middle Eastern treats by offering items like hummus, baba ghanoush, falafel, and dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), the mezze style. Mezze is a selection of small plates that are perfect for sharing.
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Offer a Gluten-Free Menu
You may decide to go gluten-free, and one of the ways to do this is by offering delicious gluten-free options. Offer items like gluten-free pasta, pizzas, and desserts.
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Dairy-Free Menu
If you are tinkering with going dairy-free in your menu options, you will not go wrong. Many delicious dairy-free options can be included on a catering menu. You may consider offering milk like plant-based milk, cheese alternatives, and desserts.
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Offer a Nut-Free Menu
You may consider factoring in your guests who might have nut allergies. For those with nut allergies, it’s important to offer a nut-free menu. Some of the many delicious nut-free options available include fruit skewers, yogurt parfaits, and veggie wraps.
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Themed Brunch
A popular menu option to go by in an event would be a themed brunch. With brunches, you can offer a variety of breakfast and lunch items, such as pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon, sandwiches, and salads. You may also look into making it a themed brunch event.
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Gourmet Grilled Cheese Bar
Give your guests the chance to create their own gourmet grilled cheese masterpieces. Consider offering a variety of breads, cheeses, and spreads as they build. Add some unexpected options like brie and fig jam, goat cheese and roasted peppers, or mozzarella and pesto.
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Build-Your-Own Nachos (Not Your Average)
With this, you can raise the bar of Nachos- not the classical nacho bar. Garnish with gourmet toppings like shredded duck confit, caramelized onions, crumbled blue cheese, and pomegranate seeds.
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Self-serve Buffet for Main Dishes, Desserts, and/or Coffee
Let your guests help themselves and have the time of their lives by considering a buffet. If there will be a lot of children (or grown-up picky eaters) or want to save on wait staff expenses, buffet style would be the way to go.
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Pulled Chicken over Pork
This is one of the easiest meals to prepare and tastes great in sandwiches. You may consider this working out in a buffet-style setting. Also look into serving with potato salad, corn on the cob, and others.
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Offer Mixed sweet Flavours with Savoury ones
People like candied bacon or tomato soup and grilled cheese. This is why you may consider some apple-based combinations that won’t break the bank. Guests get hooked to this menu, and you could get your quests liking it too.
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Offer Creamy Sauce Meals
Take pasta, mushrooms, and potatoes to a whole new level by including cream (or even cheese) -based sauces. Your guests would love this and would come asking for more.
36 Offer Some Paninis
Sandwiches are great for daytime events but as the weather starts to cool you can transform these simple meals into a winter-friendly event treat. Offer some Paninis as appetizers or whole for individuals.
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Offer Root Vegetable Salads
Offer your guests some interesting treats by opting for root salads. Root salads are a great way to go budget-friendly with menus. Sweet potatoes, parsnips, and beets are good recipes to go by.
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Serve Spaghetti and Meatball Twirled Appetizers
We never get enough of spaghetti. It is always filling, fun, and easy to eat. Create the best spaghetti for your guest with the choicest of sauces to go with it. Be sure to ask how they want it to be garnished.
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Do a Lemonade or Mimosa Bar
Add bowls of pineapples, kiwis, berries, and other fresh options to make things interesting. You can even mix it up by serving a variety of juices for the mimosas.
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Offer Meals with Bamboo Charcoal
If you want to help your guests improve their dietary habits, think about capitalizing on trends like bamboo charcoal. Lots of health gurus are talking about it, and it is relatively easy to work with.
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Have a Donut Tower
We all love doughnuts so if you are going to include a dessert on your event menu, make sure to try the doughnut tower. Your guests would love the idea and the treat it gives.
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Choose Local Wines and Beers Over Brand Names
Go for locally sourced wines if you have more millennials on your guest list. This is a sort of beverage that won’t break the bank.
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Include Eggs in Your Appetizers
If your event is around the easter period you may want to consider serving things like egg-filled tacos, egg salads, and custom-made omelet stations.
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Add Mint and Lavender To Standard Beverages
Elevate the taste of drinks at your event by adding mint and lavender to any tea, Limoncello, or sparkling water for a much more refreshing taste.
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Prioritize Football Snacks
Chips, dips, and finger foods are the highlight of any Super Bowl party so they will win over your event attendees. You too can adopt this style to create the best experience.
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Pass 3 Bean Chilli Shooters
Offer a tasty and filling meat-based option. It is a great way to get your guests talking about your event. Whether it is beef, pork, chicken, or whatever, making a custom chili sauce stands out always.
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Any Rice or Noodle-Based Cultural Cuisine
Mexican, Indian, and Thai dishes are delicious and affordable. Those meals typically aren’t meat-heavy and can include delicious produce like fresh berries, grapefruits, and bananas.
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Citrus Barbeque Chicken
Elevate your barbeque treat by pulling off bright, tangy flavors of orange and lemon together as a wonderful and tasty BBQ sauce that can be used as a marinade, glaze, or sauce.
49. Tyler’s Pulled Pork Barbecue
Try a Tyler Seasons pork roast with a spicy-sweet dry rub. Let it roast low and slow until it’s falling apart and then serve it with a tangy cider vinegar barbecue sauce.
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Offer Texas Brisket
You can never go wrong with the traditional Texas brisket. You can pull this menu off by getting the meat coated with yellow mustard and a spicy rub and then smoked for over nine hours.